Free & Paid: 7 Transcription & Translation Apps/Services

I want to not only transcribe foreign languages but also translate them if possible...

Nowadays, it has become commonplace to gather international information for work and communicate in foreign languages.

The opportunities to create meeting minutes in English or Chinese are increasing day by day.

In such cases, rather than simply transcribing foreign languages as they are and compiling the text, it's much more convenient to translate them into Japanese to make the content easier to grasp.

However, the honest truth is that handling both transcription and translation yourself can be a heavy burden.

That's where transcription tools with translation features come in handy.

But often, the translation features included in general transcription tools are merely "extras," and their accuracy isn't very reliable, nor are they user-friendly.

Therefore, this time, we have carefully selected and will introduce apps and services that are particularly strong in translation features among the many transcription tools available.

Furthermore, we will explain a recommended method that combines AI transcription with AI translation.

By reading this article, even those who are not very proficient in foreign languages should be able to communicate with people overseas with confidence.

Please read to the end.

For Transcription + Translation, 'Mojiokoshi-san' is Recommended

Let's start with the conclusion.

If you're transcribing foreign languages, 'Mojiokoshi-san' is highly recommended!

'Mojiokoshi-san' is a transcription service that uses the latest AI technology.

AI technology is constantly advancing, and in fact, transcription is one of AI's strong suits.

Therefore, it can accurately and quickly transcribe audio from meetings, lectures, interviews, and more.

What's more, 'Mojiokoshi-san' supports 100 languages, including English.

By transcribing text files with 'Mojiokoshi-san' and then translating them with an AI service like DeepL, you can achieve the highest possible accuracy for transcription + translation currently available!

Reasons why using separate services for transcription and translation is recommended

In this article, we will also introduce services that can do both transcription and translation below.

However, when using AI for transcription, it's recommended to use separate services for transcription and translation.

The reason is that AI has its "specialties."

Even though we broadly refer to it as AI, its performance and areas of expertise vary depending on what data it has learned and what purpose it was created for.

• Transcription services like 'Mojiokoshi-san' use AI trained on audio data.
• Translation services like 'DeepL' use AI trained on text and language data.

While it's the same "language" for humans, "audio" and "text" are completely different for AI.

Therefore, you can achieve higher-quality transcription by using a service specialized in transcription (audio) and a service specialized in translation (text), rather than trying to do both with a single service.

Features of Mojiokoshi-san's Foreign Language Transcription

Mojiokoshi-san offers two types of AI transcription engines.

For foreign languages, they offer:

• PerfectVoice: Supports 100 languages.
• AmiVoice: Supports English and Japanese, with speaker diarization (transcribes by speaker).

Both offer very high-accuracy transcription!

All you need to do then is translate the transcription results with an AI translation service like DeepL.

Furthermore, no registration is required, and you can transcribe up to 1 minute for free.

Why not try Mojiokoshi-san when you need to transcribe and translate foreign languages, including English?

7 Transcription Apps and Services with Translation Capabilities (Free/Paid)

Next, we'll introduce transcription apps and services that can also be used for translation.

From AI-powered transcription to human transcription by experts, we hope this helps you choose the right transcription and translation service for your needs.

1. Group Transcribe

Group Transcribe is an iOS app developed by Microsoft.

While it specializes in real-time transcription and translation, its transcription features are more robust than its translation capabilities.

When multiple speakers use their own smartphones, you can see who is saying what in real-time, even when multiple languages are being spoken, with translation confirmation. It's perfect for small meetings!

Microsoft Group Transcribe

2. Onyaku

This transcription tool is provided by Rozetta, a company strong in AI automatic translation.

It supports web conferencing tools like Zoom, Teams, and Skype, automatically transcribing spoken content. Its high-precision AI provides real-time translation.

*An even higher-precision translation engine, "T-3MT," can be linked as an option.

While the price might be a bit high, this service is well worth it for companies that frequently communicate with overseas partners.

Onyaku

3. Amitt

This is a transcription and translation proxy service provided by a specialized translation and interpretation company.

It's a transcription service where experts manually type out the content.

Supporting approximately 60 languages, and being a company that also handles translations of official documents, it's especially recommended for important work where accuracy is paramount.

You can also expect fast delivery times and prevention of unnecessary issues.

Foreign Language Transcription Service - Amitt Co., Ltd.

4. Editage

This transcription service is provided by a company specializing in English proofreading.

Given their strength in reviewing academic papers by researchers, they claim to be able to provide accurate translations even for highly specialized content.

They also operate a sister site (Krypton) dedicated to transcription, ensuring high-quality transcription.

English/Japanese Transcription and Subsequent Translation Services (Japanese-English/English-Japanese)｜Editage

5. Google Translate

For real-time translation, Google Translate is an easy option.

It automatically transcribes audio spoken into your smartphone or computer's microphone and can translate it into various languages. Since it can simultaneously translate two languages, it can even serve as a simple translation device (interpreter).

You can also use a site called Sound of Text to download translated audio as an MP3 file.

Google Translate

6. Notta

Here's an AI-powered speech-to-text tool that supports transcription and translation for many languages.

It supports both real-time transcription and audio file to text conversion. You can review audio and text later using features like marking, and easily share your transcribed (and translated) data with others.

The free version only offers real-time transcription and does not include translation tools, so it's recommended to use a paid plan for full functionality.

Notta

7. Langogo Summit

The flagship model, the "Summit," features a large-capacity battery and high-performance directional microphones (4 units). It connects with 26 translation engines to provide real-time translation for various languages.

It also includes a transcription function, allowing you to edit the text later by linking it with the Notta app.

Please note: Real-time translation and transcription (text conversion) functions cannot be used simultaneously.

Langogo Summit

AI-Powered Transcription and Translation Workflow

What's the process for AI-powered transcription and translation?

So far, we've introduced:

• Combining AI transcription tools with AI translation
• Services that offer both transcription and translation

As mentioned earlier, the recommended method is to "combine an AI transcription tool with AI translation."

Here, we'll explain how to perform transcription and translation by combining 'Mojiokoshi-san' (an AI transcription tool) with AI translation!

The steps are very simple:

1. Create text data with a transcription tool
2. Translate with a dedicated app

Let's look at the specifics.

1. Upload Audio Files to Mojiokoshi-san

Open the top page of 'Mojiokoshi-san' and upload your audio file.

You can upload files using the form on the top page.

First, select the language of the audio file you want to translate.

This time, we selected "English" as the language.

We chose PerfectVoice, an AI transcription engine strong in foreign languages.

Select the file and upload it.

Transcription will start automatically.

2. Foreign Language Transcription Completed

Once transcription is complete, the display will automatically switch, showing the transcription results.

As you can see, the transcription was completed with very high accuracy.

Audio file source: Excerpt from the MP3 file published in "Martin Luther King I Have a Dream Speech - American Rhetoric"

https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm

3. Translate with an AI Translation Service

Finally, copy the transcription result from 'Mojiokoshi-san' and paste it into an AI translation service to translate.

This time, we used DeepL, one of the most popular AI translation services.

As shown, the translation accurately captures the nuances of the original text.

This completes the process of transcription and translation using AI services.

How to Choose Transcription and Translation Services

For transcription tools, it's recommended to choose ones that can save files as plain text (txt) or allow direct copy-pasting (like Mojiokoshi-san).

For translation apps, DeepL is highly recommended for its free access and high accuracy.

However, the free version of DeepL states that the input original text and translated text may be used by DeepL.

If you are handling confidential documents with DeepL, always choose a paid plan.

Want to Transcribe Foreign Languages with Mojiokoshi-san?

As demonstrated, when performing transcription and translation, it's effective to combine an AI transcription service with an AI translation service.

For AI transcription services, 'Mojiokoshi-san' is highly recommended for its high performance and ease of use.

You can try 'Mojiokoshi-san' for free for up to 1 minute without registration.

If you're unsure about which transcription and translation service to use, why not try Mojiokoshi-san first?

Try Mojiokoshi-san now

How to Transcribe and Translate Videos in Real-Time with Google Chrome

Finally, we'll explain how to perform real-time video transcription and translation using the Google Chrome web browser.

Google Chrome's Transcription Feature

Did you know that Google Chrome comes with a standard option called "Live Caption (Real-time Automatic Subtitle Feature)"?

Settings → Advanced → Accessibility → Live Caption: ON

By doing this, subtitles will appear in real-time on videos played in your browser, such as on YouTube.

While YouTube already has a built-in subtitle feature for videos, this extension allows you to add subtitles to any video that can be played in your browser (including local content).

If you also want to display Japanese translations simultaneously, the 'Language Learning with Youtube BETA' extension is recommended.

Language Learning with Youtube

BETA - Chrome Web Store

By installing this, you can display both English subtitles and translated (Japanese) subtitles simultaneously on YouTube videos.

※You can also copy and paste the transcribed subtitles in bulk.

When you hover over an English word, its meaning pops up, so it's also recommended for use as an English learning tool (as the name "Learning" suggests).

Summary

This time, we've explained transcription tools with strong translation capabilities.

To recap, here's a summary of the recommended transcription apps and services mentioned in the article:

• Mojiokoshi-san + DeepL: High accuracy unique to AI. Recommended!
• Group Transcribe: Recommended for small group meetings
• Onyaku: Perfect companion for serious web conferences (Zoom/Teams)
• Amitt: Professional transcription & translation services by a translation/interpretation company
• Editage: Transcription & translation services from a company strong in English document and paper editing
• Google Translate: Easiest for real-time translation only
• Notta: Rich editing and sharing features. Usable on both smartphone and web
• Langogo Summit: Dedicated translation gadget with transcription features

In the coming era, regardless of industry or scale, businesses will likely increasingly engage with countries outside of Japan.

Even if you don't need it right now, the time will surely come in the near future when you'll need English or Chinese transcription and translation.

To avoid panicking when that time comes, take advantage of the present to try various tools and prepare thoroughly for the future.